Reclaiming the Human Condition

The Proud Colony

Foundations of Practice

Therapeutic Reflection

The Collage intervention is a versatile psychodynamic tool that allows for the creative organization of the self through preexisting imagery from various media. By removing the barrier of "technical drawing skill," collage provides an accessible entry point for clients to project their subconscious thoughts and visions into a tangible montage.

Theoretical Application

  • Psychodynamic & Narrative Integration: This approach allows the client to utilize imagery to tell a story of their inner life, facilitating the journey of "shadow work" as it moves into conscious awareness.

  • Developmental Versatility: Children (5-12): Focuses on identity formation through hobbies and interests.

  • Teens (13-19): Provides a sense of control over their life narrative using pop culture and social media imagery.

  • Adults: Serves as a medium for complex emotional processing and goal setting.

  • Aesthetic Organization: The process of choosing, cutting, and arranging pieces allows the client to experiment with relationships and cohesiveness within their own symbolic representations.

Clinical Considerations

As a therapist, sensitive and intentional media selection is critically important. This intervention requires contraindication screening for:

  • Eating Disorders: Avoiding imagery of the human form or food that may trigger unhealthy body image thoughts or discomfort.

  • Addiction: Being mindful of triggers such as alcohol or specific atmospheres unique to the client's history.

  • Underrepresented Populations: Ensuring media is inclusive and avoids glorifying narrow mainstream standards to foster a considerate therapeutic environment. Be sure there is sufficient media to include the client’s self-expression.

Artist's Statement(s)

“Reclaiming the Human Condition”

From fragments of textbooks, magazines, and stories, I have assembled a narrative with characters that move from the shadows of anxiety into the light of simpler parts of the mind and conflict resolution. For this project, I created a collage of a three-dimensional skull to represent the layers of the mind. The front of the skull is covered with text from a psychology textbook, using intellectual phrases to explain the human condition. This represents the conscious, academic, and "orderly" way we often present ourselves to the world. As the viewer moves around the form, the narrative shifts. This piece is a living record of my therapeutic journey; it is a "montage" of my fears and growth, illustrating that even fragmented pieces can be organized into a whole.

"The Proud Colony"

"The Proud Colony" is a mixed-media collage that serves as an analytical exploration of the digital landscape and its impact on the modern psyche. By integrating Cognitive-Behavioral, Narrative, and Neuroscience frameworks, this piece expresses the tension between the compulsive nature of social media and the hard work of pursuing an authentic, grounded life. Ultimately, this work is a visual commitment to living a life defined by depth and adventure rather than the superficiality of the screen, transforming a source of anxiety into a narrative of purposeful growth. The composition utilizes specific symbolic hierarchies to map this internal conflict:

  • The Hive Mind vs. The Pride: Red paint strokes represent the "nagging thoughts" of attention-seeking and online trends. Surrounding this are ants, symbolizing harmful comparisons, groupthink, and the loss of individuality. In contrast, a pride of lions represents the resilience of positive social networks, teamwork, and integrity found in real life.

  • The Path of Resilience: While the ants remain trapped in the "sap" of the red paint, lionesses are depicted running through water, a metaphor for resilience and endurance. A trail of glowing footsteps along the sea’s edge serves as a bridge, offering an alternative path toward self-actualization, away from digital competition.

  • Aesthetic Redemption: From a neuro-biological perspective, the use of cool blues, water imagery, and glitter facilitates a sense of spiritual cleansing, outshining the activating red paint. Pink glitter was intentionally applied over the red to acknowledge the human desire for connection and acceptance that often drives social media use, offering a moment of empathy and "redemption" for the underlying intention.

“Foundations of Practice”

This analytic intervention, titled “Foundations of Practice," is a visual synthesis of some influences that guide my journey into the field of art therapy. The images were sourced from the studio environment, the collage serving as a map of the motivations that underpin my clinical interest, involvement, and identity.

The composition weaves together disparate themes to illustrate therange of the human creative experience around the world and through time:

  • Ancient & Modern Synthesis: Classical Egyptian iconography with modern design and contemporary psychological texts, the piece honors the historical roots of healing through art while embracing modern evidence-based practice in green building.

  • Equilibrium of Care: At the center of the work, the prominent scale and the large, grounding moon symbolize the constant pursuit of balance and self-regulation. This represents the interplay of sensation and logic, and the therapist's role in maintaining a stable "holding environment."

  • Identity & Relationship Dynamics: Through the inclusion of varied human figures and community-centric imagery, the collage explores the nuances of uniqueness and the vital importance of social connection and creative efforts in mental health.

  • The Natural World: Elements of nature and organic textures highlight the environment's role in grounding the self and providing a universal platform for problem-solving, growth, and connection.